"Bo quick and make up your minds or I shall begin to speak French," said Bismarck when imparting Germany's terms to France. One wonders what would have become of France if she had behaved as Germany has been doing since she signed the peace treaty fourteen weary months ago. The representation, or _mis-presentation of Germany's military position by Gen. von Sceckt, the effrontery of Dr. Simons' calm statement that it is impossible for Germany to guarantee priority of coal delivery to the Allies—these things fill one with amazement. In this connexion the strong stand taken by Mr. Lloyd George is specially welcome. It is not merely that the time has come for very plain speaking and unequivocal injunctions—But Mr. Lloyd George's opponents in England have of late been particularly industrious in representing him in the worst possible light abroad—not without result on the commoner French journals, and his behaviour' at Spa should have a good effect, at least in Paris. Whether it will have any effect on Germany is another question. Bismarck got what he wanted in 1870 because his troops were in Paris. Will the Allies succeed by any less unanswerable means?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.